This lecture focuses on Anthony Collins, one of the major figures in the Deist movement, and includes responses by Bentley, Leland, and Chandler. The modern scholar Richard Hays is discussed as an extension of Chandler’s arguments.

This lecture is primarily about the thoughts of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Earl of Shaftsbury, with a connection to modern thoughts along the same lines. Also, Shaftesbury’s thoughts are here scrutinized by Brown.

This lecture continues the early response to Deism with Richard Baxter, including his view of the relationship between faith and reason, plus Locke, Halyburton, and Leslie. The thoughts of the Deist John Toland are also discussed.

This lecture begins a detailed discussion of Deistic thought, starting with the early Deists, Herbert of Cherbury, later plagiarized in Charles Blount’s Reglio Laici, and Baruch Spinoza, with responses from Stillingfleet and Boyle.

In this lecture Dr McGrew gives a short history of philosophy and religion, especially the lesser known figures, which affected and influenced the thoughts of the authors involved in the Deist controversy.

This lecture is a quick summary of the history of science from Aristotle to Newton. Dr McGrew also includes a brief discussion of why the history of science is important to the Deist controversy.

This lecture is a brief introduction to the political and religious climate in England which set the backdrop to the Deist controversy.

The first lecture gives a brief overview of the Deist controversy, what Deism is, and when the controversy was. This also includes an introduction to some of the major authors involved on both sides of the discussion.